This morning I woke from a dream in which I was put to shame, treated with a lack of respect. Even after a time of praising the Lord for His goodness, those negative emotion robbed me of God’s usual joy. However, today’s devotions took me to verses that make a promise to all who believe. They begin in the OT with these:
Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ (Isaiah 28:16)
Here, the word for haste is about being overcome by sudden fear, panic. The NT says God is not the author of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind. Why then this dream and emotions? Another one of the enemies’ attempts to trip me?
The next two OT passages talk about shame as a negative emotion from a sense of guilt, embarrassment, or remorse:
Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” (Isaiah 49:23)
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame. (Joel 2:26–27)
I must wait on the Lord and remember He is with me. These verses are an important promise and part of my salvation. No shame as I wait on Him. The NT repeats it in several places. In the following verses, shame means to be dishonored, become characterized by shame, and a lack of respect:
As it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:33)
For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11)
For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (1 Peter 2:6)
Peter links the building of God’s church to the building of the OT temple which would be meaningful for his first readers. The stones were prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house. God’s precise plans had them set into place with the cornerstone being the most important, with the rest of the stones aligned to it. (1 Kings 6:7).
In the same way, individual believers are selected and shaped by the Holy Spirit to fit into God’s master plan for the church. Jesus is the precious cornerstone, the standard to which all others conform and are secure and honored.
Even that word, honor, is applied to Christians. We are to cleanse ourselves for anything that is shameful and be a vessel for honorable use (2 Timothy 2:21), loving one another and outdoing one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10) We are to honor those we owe, and give honor and respect to those whom honor is owed. (Romans 13:7) This includes our pastors and teachers (1 Timothy 5:17) and of course God:
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” saying “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 4:11; 7:12)
PRAY: God, I thank You that You speak highly of me and do not put me to shame. The enemy tries. The world also tries, but my responses depend on who I am listening to. You never fail to keep Your promises and keeping me from being put to shame is one of them. I praise Your name. You restore my joy and honor me, yet You alone are worthy of all honor and glory!
PONDER: Live today in the confidence that Christ never fails. He always keeps His promises and all that is contrary is from His defeated foe, whom I don’t need to listen to for he is a liar and will fail in his attempts to destroy me, thanks to Jesus who saves me.
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